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Grumman's solution to Cold War advancements in Soviet long-range patrol and bomber aircraft was the F-14 Tomcat. Equipped with AIM-54 Phoenix missiles, the F-14 could target multiple threats over 90 miles away. To achieve high speed while carrying heavy ordnance, Grumman incorporated a variable sweep wing, enabling operation across a range of airspeeds. The Navy sought an advanced carrier-based fighter and evaluated the F-111B by General Dynamics, aiming for commonality with the Air Force's F-111A. However, the F-111B was too heavy for carrier use, leading to its contract cancellation in April 1968. This prompted the VFX program competition between McDonnell Douglas and Grumman. McDonnell Douglas proposed a naval F-15, while Grumman's Model 303 featured a variable-geometry, two-seat, twin-engine design centered around the Hughes AWG-9 weapons system. Grumman’s experience with "swing-wing" technology from the XF10F Jaguar prototype was advantageous. The urgent development of the aircraft led to the use of Pratt & Whitney TF-30 turbofans, similar to those in the F-111. Following Grumman's tradition of naming aircraft after cats, the "Tomcat" had its first flight in December 1970. After modifications, the first F-14As were delivered to the Navy in June 1972, with VF-124 assigned for crew training. VF-1 and VF-2 were the first operational squadrons on the West Coast, while VF-14 and VF-32 were the first on the East Coast. In 1974, the Marine Corps planned to establish VMFA-122 at NAS Miramar but canceled the program, opting for modified F-4J Phantom IIs. The F-14’s combat debut was in August 1981, downing two Libyan Su-22 fighters over the Gulf of Sidra. It also saw action in the Gulf War, and in Iraq and Afghanistan. The F-14's active service ended with VF-213 in 2006. #KSOP #USGA #USOpen #Tomcat #Gruman #AviationHistory #TopGun #Pinehurst #MooreCountyAirport Images via PHC K. Thornsley, U.S. Navy, SSgt. Michael D. Gaddis, USAF

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